The Cumberland Guesthouse Lorne
The story of the Cumberland is the story of the changing face of accommodation in Lorne. It was built on the corner of Bay Street and Mountjoy Parade, replacing the Summerland Cafe and Dance Hall.

Summerland Cafe, before The Cumberland Guesthouse was built.
Frank Beaurepaire built the Cumberland Guesthouse for £30,000 in 1938. The architects were AC Leith and Bartlett of Collins Street Melbourne and the builder was JC Taylor of Geelong. It was viewed as the height of luxury, the rival of accommodation anywhere in the world. The cream brick, steel framed building had an asbestos roof praised for its resistance to corrosion.
It catered for 100 guests. Shops, storerooms, a ballroom and staff quarters were on the lower ground floor. The upper ground floor consisted of lounges, a terrace, dining room and kitchens. Bedrooms were on the upper two floors. The building boasted lifts, a telephone near the manager’s office, piped music and a paging system. The bedrooms had luxuries such as built in robes, hand basins with hot and cold running water, a dressing table and two lights. There were four bathrooms on each level.
- About 1947
- 1949
- 1972
In 1984, David Mariner bought the guesthouse. The beautiful Cumberland was demolished and the new Cumberland Resort, timeshare units were completed in 1989 despite much local protest. The building was renovated in 2004 and subsequently sold as individual units.
- Cumberland demolished
- Frank Bearepaire’s house Nenthorne
- Nenthorne

The Cumberland Resort, 2025
Sources:
- Lorne A Living History by Doug Stirling